Garbha Upanishad - Translationhttp://www.vedarahasya.net/garbha.htm Garbha Upanishad Introduction: This Upanishad explains in detail about the conception and growth of a child in the mother’s womb. At each stage of development in the womb, the physical condition of the child’s body and the mental state and the condition of the jeevan (the soul) within is also explained in detail in this scripture. It is great wonder that our ancient Rishis (the seers of truth) were able to grasp and visualize such intense secrets about the body and soul in those ancient days when there were no traces of today’s modern science and research. To go a step ahead, we can even say that parts of this Upanishad are yet to be physically researched and understood by the modern scientists and will remain unknown to the Science world till such time. This Upanishad is part of the Krishna Yajur Veda. The Upanishad: OM! May Brahman protect us (the Guru and Sishya) both! May he give us both (enough) to enjoy! Efficiency may we both attain! Effective may our study prove! May we not hate (each other) at all! Om Shanti ! Shanti ! Shanti ! The human body is constituted of five things (the five forces of earth, sky, air, water and fire) and is of six shelters (like the physical, ethereal and so on). It is of six different characters and seven compounds, three impurities and has two points of source of birth. It is dependent on four types of food. 1. Why is the body called as “Panchaatmakam?” (Pancha-Five) Because it is constituted out of the five forces of nature – viz., earth, water, fire, air and sky. 2.Out of the body which portions represent each such force of nature ? That portion which is hard is representative of the earth, the liquid one is of the water, the hot one is of the fire, the airy portion is of the air and the portion which gives space is representative of the sky or the space. The earth force enables to sustain, water helps consolidation, fire enlightens, air makes the team work, and the space gives time and options to carry on the various duties. Each of the sense organs are created for some specific purpose – the ear (srodhram) for hearing sounds, the skin (twak) for feeling the touch, eyes (cakshu) for the vision, tongue (jihvah) for enjoying the taste, nose (naasi) to smell, the birth organ (upastham) to enjoy pleasure and the rectum (apaanam) to shed the unwanted from the body. The jivan (or the soul) identifies through the brain, desires with the mind and speaks with the language (vaak). 3.Why is the body said to be having six shelters ? It can sense and distinguish the six forms of taste such as sweet, sour, salty, bitter etc., The seven forms of basic sound viz., shatjam, rishabam, gaanthaaram, madhyamam, panchamam, daivatam and nishaadam, alongwith the other three viz., ishtam, anishtam and pranidaanam constitutes the ten basic forms of sound. Again, the colors are basically of seven types viz., white, red, black, smoky gray, yellow and golden white. 1 of 4 1/29/2011 4:35 PM stomach and the hip. During the fifth month. In the seventh month. Once I come out of this birth source (vagina). and from the body the reproductive fluids. In two months. as a rule laid down by the Supreme. the wrist. life or the jivan enters the body shaped so far. It gets solidified and hardened at the end of one month. the spine and the adjoining bones get shaped. That garbha is controlled by the Hridayam (the heart). Thus thinks the jivan: “By me thousands of birth points (vagina) have been seen. which is satisfied with such feed. which runs throughout the body. When there is a join or combination of the male and female reproductive fluids. By the eighth month. (neither a male nor a female) It is born as a blind or as a deaf or dumb or short or with other deficiency due to any mental confusion during the period of pregnancy. the embryo is in a mixed (semi-fluid) state. the mind. the legs and foot are formed.net/garbha.Garbha Upanishad . it also acquires the five intellectual organs and the brain. from nerves the bones. The heart houses an ever-burning internal fire from which a biological fire is generated. waist etc are formed. from bones the body.vedarahasya. It is during the ninth month that all the sense organs and intellect organs attain completeness.htm Why is the body said to be of seven compounds ? When a man gets to possess and enjoy the material objects which are meant for such enjoyment. If the male reproductive fluid is split because of the air moving around in the body. gives birth to air. When the body comprised of the five natural forces acquires intelligence by the infusion of the jivan (or the soul). ultimately and dutifully traces back its route to the Hridayam or the Heart. have enjoyed the benefits of my actions and have left me all alone. Once he digests the essence of the same. various foods have been tasted. Eyes and the Ears are all formed during the sixth month.Translation http://www. The formation of the embryo and its stages of development On a perfect day and on the uniting of the male and female reproductive fluids. it becomes a nabumsaka. intellect and ego) and their sixteen variants belong to the soul or the jivan residing in the body. the jivan immediately starts contemplating on the eternal syllable “OM”. And by the fourth month. Thus there are seven compounds and the body is formed of such compounds. Having obtained this intelligence. from the fat the nerves. If the potency of both the father and the mother are equal with no pulling force in either. the jivan is reminded of its previous birth and it realizes all the good and bad deeds it committed during such previous birth. it takes the shape of a bubble formed out of water. All my near and dear (of earlier births) for whom I performed various actions (in earlier births). and innumerable times mother’s milk has been drunk (to convey that the jivan had various mothers during its earlier births). Nose. which in turn. I am going to surrender myself to the destroyer of all sins and the Salvation provider – Maheswara. If the potency of the father (the male) is stronger than the mother. the garbha (pregnancy or the embryo) is formed. six types of taste (rasam) are brought in. he understands the fact that the eight basic forces (five sense organs. after the lapse of one night. whether good or bad. I have born and died again and again. from the tissue the fat. And during this time. because of the good combination of such objects. it becomes a male and vice-versa. it attains full shape and gets fulfilled with all other remaining parts. I am left behind all alone. That air. twins are born. from the blood the tissue. the head takes form. At the end of a fortnight. it takes the shape of a solid lump. After seven nights from thereon. which enables the jivan to distinguish between different forms of objects and tastes. Out of such taste is created the blood. also called 2 of 4 1/29/2011 4:35 PM . At the end of three months. The Mouth. Whatever is consumed or drunk by the mother passes through the nerves dovetailed with the child’s to the jivan. Garbha Upanishad . nerves and tissue are comparable to the other utensils and objects used in a Homa. Gnaana agni.. Once I come out of this birth source. I am going to chant his name and other mantras to destroy all my sins carried from my earlier births. These three fires have taken their positions in one’s face.htm as Naaraayana (or the Supreme Being called by various names). The body also has got one ser (ser is a measure weighing around 300 grams) weighing biological fire. 180 junction points. he is inflicted with the illusory force (Maya) created by Vishnu and immediately forgets all the previous births and the deeds performed therein. Once I come out of this birth source. It creates the internal fire that is used to combust all the materials in taken. two ser weighing watery substance. OM! May Brahman protect us (the Guru and Sishya) both! May he give us both (enough) to enjoy! Efficiency may we both attain! Effective may our study prove! May we not hate (each other) at all! Om Shanti ! Shanti ! Shanti ! 3 of 4 1/29/2011 4:35 PM . Koshta agni is that fire which enables the digestion of all that is consumed by the human. one should understand his composition and divert all his power and energy into the path of attaining salvation. the mind is the Brahma (the one who makes it happen). the face is the sacrificing stage and the two lines of teeth. Darsana agni is the internal fire that gives the power of seeing to the eyes with which we are able to see different objects.net/garbha. the sense organs are the sacrificial objects (comparable to the Havis or the rice) to be used. the bones. 500 tissue groups (muscle). I am going to contemplate on this Supreme Divine Brahman. This Moksha Sastra (the scripture leading to Salvation) was enunciated by the great sage. the Hair thereon is the Darbha (the dried grass used in homa). greed. Pippalaada. a quarter ser weighing semen or other reproductive fluid and two-sers weighing fat. (Having thus known the complete constitution of a human body). 109 nerves called as “snaayu”. the Head or the skull is the utensil. desire etc are the sacrificial objects (comparable to the animals sacrificed). However. 700 other nerves. With these fires present within. Gnaana agni is that fire of knowledge which enables one to distinguish between the good and bad. 360 bones. I am going to practice the Gnaana Yoga (the pursuit of knowledge) strictly to destroy all my sins and to release myself from the bondings of all actions in this materialistic world. the bad intentions such as anger. kaarhapatneeyaagni and dakshinaagni respectively. (second stress given in the Upanishad itself). Why is the body called as “Sariram” ? The body is composed of three different types of fire – viz. His memory is cleansed of all the history the very moment he first inhales the air after coming to the earth. an internal homa or yagna (or the ritual sacrifice) takes place within a human body regularly and incessantly. four and a half crore hairs. Contentment and the intellectual organs are the utensils that can be utilized in the homa. stomach and the heart and are referred by the names aahavaniyaagni. Mental strength or control is the vow. There is no laid down measure or weight of the urinary or the other solid excretions. Atma or the soul is the performer of the homa. 8 palam (palam is an old measure that weighs around 35 grams) weighing Heart and 12 palam weighing tongue. when he reaches the birth source (vagina) and comes out of it with great difficulty on to the earth. which are dependent on the intake.” – These are the thoughts of the jivan during the time it remains in the womb. This Moksha Sastra (the scripture leading to Salvation) was enunciated by the great sage.vedarahasya.Translation http://www. jealousy. Constitution of a human body: (Apart from what is said in the earlier paragraphs). darsana agni and koshta agni. Pippalaada. The human body consists of 107 secret spots (comparable to the genitals). htm Click here to go back to the Veda Rahasya Home Page 4 of 4 1/29/2011 4:35 PM .Translation http://www.net/garbha.Garbha Upanishad .vedarahasya.